May 2017 #13 the lucky thread

[Rustler74]

Just thought I'd get the next thread ready. Let them babies arrive!

@1004Rise my braxtons feel like somebody is squeezing my tummy really hard, goes all around my tummy then gently eases. 'Real' contractions for me feel exactly the same but with pain, pain like a stomach bug pain to begin with. I haven't had the latter yet.
But my BH tightenings are def getting stronger and lasting longer, as in the tightening gets tighter and tighter for 30-60seconds now, as earlier on in my pregnancy they lasted about 10seconds 😊

@1004Rise I get tightening across the top of the bump, no pattern to them and I can usually walk them off.

Also with topping up, I read that baby will tend to guzzle a bottle by reflex but that it doesn't necessarily mean they are hungry (and that you aren't making enough milk - although it would make you think that!)

WRT pain, I found it did hurt at first. Especially the right one. Whether that's because of a poor latch that improved or was just me getting used to it, I don't know!

cox that's about right (although once bf is established it's more of a make-as-you-go production line rather than storing it up!) - so the let down is sort of squeezing the milk out of the hamster bottles. You can squirt everywhere especially at first (you've been warned ;) )

1004 the BH are supposed to be at the top of your bump (if the book I've been reading is correct) where 'proper' contractions will be the whole bump and will make your bump change shape as well rather than just go hard.

@SanitysSake congratulations! How was the wedding! Bet you looked blooming beautiful!

@RedBlu the strong movements are awful aren't they - it almost moves me in a weird way!

@1004Rise induction consultation is Thursday - I think I'd anticipated being a lot more able than I am and have planned to do way too much really. Although DH and I are off on a spa stay on Friday and I'm hoping to go to an aquanatal class on Thursday.

Sorry to hear DD hasn't been very well @MrsE84 - hopefully she's on the mend now?

@Rabbitykins55 Totally with you! DH told me I looked like I have a bolder shoved up my top today and that I could chase Indiana Jones away with it... 😒

@nursebickypegs
www.amazon.com/Baby-Jedi-Board-Vinyl-Decal/dp/B00UPHALHU

I'm the same as you though, nervous as hell but super excited!

@beanturnipandspud cheer up sweetie 🍫💐 we're on the home stretch now!

@CoxsOrangePippin I'm the same as you - none of this EBF for me - I'll have a good go and will do as much as I can - that's all I can do!

Just wanted to add my experience re bf, as my experience first time around sounds very like yours peas. DD1 just would not latch- nobody could help, I got incredibly stressed and nearly drove myself round the bend expressing till she was 5 months, then switching to formula and feeling guilty. Anyway, DD2 was a different story. It was hard going for a couple of weeks- she had the odd formula top-up at the start, it hurt a lot at times till we got the hang of it after 2 or 3 weeks, but I went on to feed her till she was just over a year old. We introduced a bottle at bedtime from a couple of months, which gave us some flexibility and my supply wasn't affected. I found bf at night made life a lot easier, and I really enjoyed it. This time around during we have made a good start- he's feeding well and I've needed no formula (yet). It's a bit sore again, but I know that will stop. I just wanted to let you know that a bad first experience doesn't necessarily mean it won't work second time around. If it didn't work this time I wouldn't have had any guilt though- it would have been straight onto formula, as I HATE expressing and wouldn't put myself through that again!

Northern that's the exact story I needed to hear. All my friends have either found it a breeze or quit in an fortnight no one seems to have overcome it being hard, hoping a good nights sleep will help and I will be positive peas once again!!
In other news I think we have picked names, all be it with a disagreement over which name first for the girl option.

WRT breastfeeding I've had information sessions from 3 different sources.

1. Pregnancy club locally (from midwives): biggest theme was 'fed is best' but we will help you where we can to maintain bf if you wish and there are support groups on practically every day of the week as well.
2. NCT: more practical explanation of first bf and manual expressing. Main theme was 'Breast is best' but we can give you some help if you need to. Practical positions and what can dad do.
3. Hospital: We were told during general antenatal sessions, that the baby only ever needs one stage of formula if you choose that, other stages on sale are commercially aimed. One year of formula stage 1, then cows milk. Also aiming to keep feeding as a task only for mum or dad, not anyone else in the first 6 months to give a bottle.

Specific bf session was addressing the same as above, more biased towards breast is best but also addressing possible problems in beginning and later stages, and a very good informative video was shown with latching and hard expressing.

I feel informed and supported and no one has told me I should keep trying and trying and it was admitted that sometimes Bf just doesn't work!

@beanturnipandspud you should have known about Roman-Ace before, then the dilemma for names would not have existed surely !

Hand expressing not hard expressing lol

Can somebody please eat some cake or something naughty for me. Massively need a sweet treat now and my stupid GD won't let me.

So confused now, think it might have been a mixture of BH and baby stretching. Couldn't walk it off, lay on my left side and it eased sat up after 5 minutes and it came back when I was upright. So lay on my left side again and it's gone baby is now back to wriggling. Pregnancy is weird!!

Re breastfeeding: My main memory of lambing as a vet student was that most newborn lambs are really rubbish at latching on, they would just stand under mum and nudge randomly (quite hard!) - even at her elbow sometimes! Their mums would then sometimes kick them in the head . From what I hear human babies can be equally rubbish at this latching on business . Also some sheep just didn't produce enough milk, so on to bottle feeding their lambs went. Happens with all species at times.

Anyway, it would be lovely if we all give it a go and get plenty of support and no-one feels bad if they end up on formula - idealistic of me !! Some lovely support on this thread though which is nice.

Has anyone seen the recent thread about what people did in the past before formula existed? Really interesting! But it shows it is good that we have it as an option these days.

@RasperryInAMelon Yes, thanks, she's getting there. Still not 100% and a bit frightened to eat anything in case it comes back up, but she was much happier and playful today so I'm less panicked!

Hi all. Sorry not had time to fully catch up yet but hoping all is well in the land of the May (April!) thread! My birth is one for a separate thread but tiny- zoo is doing well and definitely worth it!!

Wish - how cute is he 💙💙, glad to hear your DD has warmed up to you both now.

Nurse I think my hubby will do bath time as bonding time - he loves a bath ...just got to get him used to baby temperature bath rather than his usual boiling bath!

Rabbit I'm a bit in the same boat - sick of everyone wanting a piece of me. Sunday is our day when my hubby and me are doing absolutely nothing and going to answer the door to no one!

Rustler what is the reasoning behind only mum or dad doing the bottle deeds for 6 months? Is it a bonding thing or something else?

Crazy congratulations- beautiful baby xx

Tuesday down, three days to go till Mat leave - the countdown is on!! Amusing moment today.... when at 6.30 this evening (having been in the office since 7.30am), my boss told me I looked tired. I answered 'no shit sherlock' out loud before I could even realise what I was saying! Only stayed so late as I was waiting to go through some stuff with him and then he couldn't be arsed by that time - which meant I could of left at 5 and been home by 6 3 more days, 3 more days, don't kill anyone, just 3 more days!!!! X

That's really interested @Rustler74, especially about feeding being only a mum job or dad job. I've been told totally different! Also my MIL who is a HV says they still promote dummies, while
MWs here have told me not to use a dummy. However MIL still promotes controlled crying...... 🙃🙃🙃

Ahh congratulations crazy, he's beautiful! When did he arrive?

@crazyzooo what a beauty! Lots of baby cuddles indeed! See below for the birth stories thread xxx

@mrspage1985 yes it is bonding as a reason. Ideally it's the one and only task that only the mum can do in case of bf or in the case of formula or expressed to relieve mum's duties just dad. It's of course just a recommendation, but I can find myself in that. It's every parent's own choice.

Congratulations @crazyzooo ! Hope you're doing ok.

@crazyzooo congratulations! Beautiful baby xx

Congratulations @crazyzooo what a beautiful picture! Hope you both are doing well.

Congratulations @crazyzooo - beautiful baby 😍

Congratulations zoo. He is beautiful.

Ahhh congrats @crazyzooo - what a cutie!

@nursebickypegs you won't catch me out trying controlled crying! I hope MIL backs off if she sees you will be doing things differently?

@mrspage1985 I just got round to read the whole of your post! The audacity of your boss! Omg! I'd squeeze the hours out tomorrow or Friday if he couldn't be bothered to go over the stuff that needed hand over, and failed to let you know in time!